He’s a prospect with all of the pedigree and athleticism, however does Ole Miss RB Zach Evans current early-round enchantment together with his full 2023 NFL Draft scouting report? Right here’s an in-depth have a look at the Rebels runner’s recreation and the way he interprets to the NFL degree together with his pallet of traits.
Zach Evans NFL Draft Profile
Place: Working Again
Faculty: Ole Miss
Present Yr: Junior
Top/Weight: 5’11”, 202 kilos
Size: 31 5/8″
Hand: 10 1/4″
Coming from the identical 2020 recruiting class as Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, Evans has been in comparison with them each step of the best way. However we’ve heard about this class and its intrigue for some time now. Let’s study extra about Evans himself — who’s quietly launched into a resurgent path since his preliminary dedication.
Evans was, in reality, the No. 2 general RB within the 2020 class and a five-star recruit, proper on Robinson’s tail for the RB1 mantle. Each backs introduced coveted dimension and athleticism, however Evans’ pure expertise was the topic of undaunted pleasure. Evans got here out of highschool with a laser-timed 4.51 40-yard sprint, a freakish 3.84 shuttle time, and a 37.2″ vertical.
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Evans had pace, explosiveness, dimension, and star remedy. After accruing practically 5,000 yards and 76 touchdowns in highschool, Evans signed with the TCU Horned Frogs. He averaged over seven yards per carry throughout two seasons with TCU earlier than making the highly-publicized choice to switch to Ole Miss.
The breakout of Quinshon Judkins in 2022 prevented Evans from taking over a workhorse position with the Rebels, however he was nonetheless in a position to produce at a hyper-efficient clip throughout his time in Oxford. Evans ended the 2022 marketing campaign with 144 carries for 936 yards and 9 touchdowns, in addition to 12 catches for 119 yards and an extra rating.
Evans declared for the NFL Draft after his yr at Ole Miss, and although he joins an extremely deep, aggressive RB class, his pure expertise makes him onerous to rule out at any level.
Zach Evans Scouting Report
Evans is endlessly in comparison with Robinson and Gibbs. It comes with the territory of hailing from their recruiting class. Whereas Evans isn’t at that degree as a prospect, he might present interesting worth for groups afterward within the 2023 NFL Draft.
Evans’ Positives
You typically hear about how clean and pure Evans is as a runner. That’s actually certainly one of his most marketable traits, however the dimension at which he does his work can be interesting. Evans passes the attention take a look at with a compact, well-proportioned 5;11″, 202-pound body. He has first rate mass and stable density, and his body is definitely projectable in a change-of-pace position.
At that dimension, Evans additionally brings elite long-track explosiveness and distinctive long-strider acceleration in area. He can surge upfield by way of open lanes, and together with his explosiveness, he can destroy opposing tackling angles. Evans glides as a runner and picks up pace very simply in open area. And as soon as in area, he has sufficient lengthy pace to stretch open seams and create separation after overtaking defenders.
Evans is an explosive risk at RB, however he additionally brings a fascinating diploma of steadiness, each in opposition to contact and in non-contact conditions. When confronted with resistance, Evans has authentic contact steadiness. He can soak up hits, churn his legs, and squirm by way of arm tackles.
To that finish, Evans can soak up contact together with his midsection and roll his hips by way of contact to achieve additional yards. He actively makes use of his hips to soak up contact and may step by way of arm tackles as effectively, recollecting his toes whereas sustaining pace.
Moreover, Evans could be very well-balanced when stacking acute angle changes and accelerating upfield. He can gallop round solo defenders on the line and shortly recollect his stride in area.
Evans’ contact steadiness stems naturally from his body, and it permits him to work by way of tackles to a level. However his steadiness and fluidity as a runner is maybe his finest trait general.
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Evans can effortlessly maintain acceleration upfield by way of cuts and lean into course modifications whereas exploding into area. He’s a versatile runner who very naturally carries pace by way of successive motions. Evans can even use curvilinear acceleration to shortly peel round blockers and into open area, like a bike hugging a good curve.
Evans is a fluid athlete who has the particular capability to emphasize defenders laterally whereas shifting vertically. However he additionally has the minute twitch and unfastened hips to regulate assault angles at a second’s discover and erode tackling angles with acceleration.
Going additional, Evans can use a clean dead-leg transfer to disrupt tackling angles, and he’s proven himself to be an agile lateral athlete who can levy fast cuts at excessive speeds to shift round defenders. He’s additionally proven he can chop his toes in area and differ stride lengths to intensify cuts and get defenders off-balance.
Together with his instruments as a runner, Evans additionally shows flashes of serviceable utility together with his general imaginative and prescient and inventive instincts. He’s removed from elite in each areas, however Evans has proven he can acknowledge cutback lanes on the second degree and snake by way of these lanes with clean athleticism.
Evans is pretty decisive in choosing out preliminary lanes and may cowl floor with effectivity in tight quarters. Furthermore, Evans flashes good spatial consciousness within the backfield. He’ll lean away from surging edge defenders and conceal behind lead blockers earlier than breaking off into area.
Increasing on Evans’ artistic instincts, the Ole Miss RB has proven he can use assault angles upfield to control DBs into enjoying right into a blocker’s leverage, then pry across the different aspect of blocks. He can press upfield in area, then sink his hips and carry acceleration by way of course modifications, exploding by way of seams.
Evans is finest utilizing his artistic instincts up seams and in prolonged areas. Elaborating on that time, the Ole Miss RB is unnaturally comfy operating with lean, which permits him to stress angles in area with ease.
Whereas Evans isn’t overly bodily stylistically, he does have a baseline degree of prepared physicality. The Rebels runner has a willingness to decrease his shoulder and end ahead on runs, accelerating into contact, and he can methodically scrape out additional yardage by way of tackles.
Going additional, Evans can use swift cuts and stiff arms in fast succession to displace and disassemble would-be tacklers. He doesn’t win with brute drive, however he is aware of easy methods to use focused physicality to remain on his toes.
On passing downs, Evans’ worth remains to be being deciphered. However even with out quantity, his traits might ultimately translate as a cross catcher. He’s proven he can information the ball in together with his arms and reset his toes forward of catches to account for RAC, and he has a decent RAC profile together with his mixture of explosiveness, fluidity, and get in touch with steadiness.
Lastly, as a cross blocker, Evans can at the very least sq. up blitzing defenders and surge into contact together with his pads.
Evans’ Areas for Enchancment
Evans has a comparatively all-encompassing bodily talent set, however he’ll must hold honing his imaginative and prescient and creation capability as he makes the transition to the NFL.
Evans’ preliminary assault angles can enhance at occasions. He generally directs himself into contact across the perimeter. To that finish, the Ole Miss RB has room to diagnose optimum lanes a bit earlier through the trade. He’s not an elite processor, and that may hinder his progress early in reps.
When the field is crowded, Evans doesn’t all the time acknowledge area to work with exterior, and he can get tunnel imaginative and prescient working ahead. He’ll, at occasions, prematurely decide to congested lanes with defenders crashing down, and he doesn’t have elite response quickness when he must adapt.
Above anything on this division, Evans might be extra affected person and conscious of his full environment heading up lanes. He generally passes up cutback alternatives and surges into congestion.
Whereas Evans has the requisite foot pace and lateral agility to create, he has extra of a straight-line fashion as a runner and isn’t all the time fast to differ his stride lengths and adapt. Moreover, he generally predetermines assault angles and isn’t in a position to regulate when encountering early contact.
Increasing on this, Evans can do a greater job using fast stride variations and setup footwork behind the road with a purpose to adapt when wanted. He generally flattens and retreats upfield when confronted with threats of early contact within the backfield, which may end up in losses.
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Moreover, at occasions, Evans might be faster to redirect to area when walled off. He generally lingers within the backfield and will get enveloped by defenders. Total, he lacks the artistic instincts to adequately maximize his athletic traits in tight areas. If he doesn’t have apparent lanes to work with, he might be very inconsistent.
Shifting elsewhere, Evans doesn’t carry elite mass or momentum into contact and might be introduced down by sturdy solo hits. Whereas he has a compact body, the Ole Miss RB isn’t fairly giant or dense sufficient to bowl by way of tacklers and plow by way of congested areas constantly, as his 202-pound weigh-in signifies.
There’s room to challenge when speaking about Evans as a pass-catching risk, however he’s nonetheless removed from a assure in that section. His traits translate within the RAC section, however Evans hasn’t constantly proven he can present versatility within the passing recreation. He doesn’t have an expansive route tree and might be inconsistent together with his catching approach.
Amongst different issues, Evans can higher leverage his elite explosiveness on his preliminary cuts upfield at occasions, and general, he’s higher served with area to open up his strides. As a cross blocker, his type can enhance, as he generally merely obstructs his physique whereas decreasing his eyes, failing to have interaction together with his arms. And eventually, Evans’ ball safety can wane when he’s pressured to create — one thing that contributed to 3 fumbles in 2022.
Present Draft Projection for Ole Miss RB Zach Evans
Evans has expertise and recruiting pedigree on his aspect, however he grades out as an early Day 3 prospect on my board, regardless. In a deep RB class, the place versatility is valued, Evans’ talent set is a bit too one-dimensional to lock him into the early rounds, and whispers of character uncertainty additionally maintain weight in his analysis.
The principle enchantment with Evans comes from his mixture of explosiveness, fluidity, and steadiness as a runner at over 200 kilos. He’s one of many smoothest pure runners within the class, and his capability to stress and regulate angles as a long-strider up small seams is rivaled by few. His mix of explosiveness and suppleness when streaking upfield is effective, and it makes him a big-play risk on exterior/wide-zone performs.
Additionally interesting is Evans’ cheap diploma of contact steadiness in area, as he’s proven he can step by way of arm tackles and soak up contact to a level. However past his bodily traits, nonetheless, Evans has room to be a extra dependable processor and creator, and his profile is missing a variety of elements important for draft safety.
Evans doesn’t have sufficient mass to hold enchantment as a workhorse. He’s not proficient sufficient as a receiver to offer fast passing-down versatility, and he’s not sturdy sufficient as a cross protector to offer coaches solace within the backfield on third downs. In the meantime, as a runner — his main mode — Evans isn’t an elite creator, and he struggles to differ his stride lengths and adapt when confronted with early contact.
As thrilling as Evans is in area, he’s a comparatively space-dependent again. Add on an unsure projection as a receiver and as a cross blocker, and his lack of dimensions is regarding, particularly in a contemporary NFL, the place versatility is turning into an increasing number of useful.
Evans does have the instruments to be a multi-phase risk, and in zone-heavy operating schemes, the place Evans has extra space to survey lanes and open up his strides, he may very well be a really harmful rotational element for an offense. The final word variable in his development is whether or not he can add extra versatility to his recreation. He has beginning upside however would possibly in the end settle as a rotational piece.
